The fear that had slowly been creeping in was growing stronger. He had taken Zee to bed a few times now, and well he had always enjoyed the experience, there was yet to be any happy accidents to occur over it. They had the safety of a pack, which both of them ruled over, and well it would no doubt have its difficulties, he felt for the first time in his life that he was ready to have kids. Never before had he wanted any, he had not wanted to bring them up in slavery. He had not wanted to take a mate, for his love for Deathbelle had been too strong.

Now, he had Zee, he had the Armada, Deathbelle was happy, and had released them from their children from obligation. Surely there was no better time. In fact, he had begun to enlarge the den he had been making in their soon-to-be lands. He had dug it out for enough room for a large litter of growing children, with an alcove for himself at the front entrance. The layout thus far, was that you could enter the den into an empty room that could be used for storage, an alcove in the corridor held a large den, which one had to go past to get into the larger, safest room. This room had a door, which served both to separate him from its occupants, and ensure pups couldn’t flee the den unsupervised. The door had been difficult to build, shaping the word, and putting working hinges had been a feat that had taken the help and heavy purchase of a trader. And yet, he was beyond proud of the result.

He was in the process now of building a cellar into the den, a place to store an emergency supply of meat that would ensure his wife (and children?) would never go hungry. He hadn’t shown Zee the extensive upgrades on the den, and he was keen to get her opinion on what would become her home.

Zee had spent quite a lot of time surveying their territories-to-be, ensuring they recovered well from the volcano's wrath and keeping tabs on the prey population as well. It didn't hurt to mark a few trees either, so that any brave rogues who stumbled in didn't decide to make the uninhabitable land home before the Armada could claim it officially. While she'd explored it in depth, she'd never seen Sirius so deep within it. When she caught his scent on the wind the new queen's chest clenched uncomfortably, expecting fully to find her husband stuck in a hole or chased by wildfires. He wasn't an explorer, he had no business endangering himself so soon after being free of his den rest.

She followed his scent into a hand-made den, stopping short at the closed door protecting the deeper tunnels. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and Zee began to pace at it, wondering what reason her warlord would have to close off half of a potential den. Was his brute strength not enough to keep enemies away? His scent lingered and she knew he was behind it, and so Zee stepped up to the barrier and cleared her throat loudly to announce her presence to the male.

Sirous startled at the sound of a throat clearing. Why hasnt Bast or Marshal set off the alarm? He had trusted them to watch his back. He jerked upright so fast he cracked his head on the cellar roof, which wasnt exactly difficult to reach. He was a tall wolf, and hadnt bothered putting on a high ceiling. He crawled out of the small space and peered out the entrance of the den.

By the time he got there he had already come to the conclusion that it was Zee, Io or Death. His companions would have announced anyone else, and cut off an intruder. Still, he was pleased when he saw the elegant horns curving off a familiar head. "Zee" he said warmly, pushing himself out of the den to embrace her, and leave a kiss upon her muzzle. Hmm.. he wondered how to approach the topic he wished to speak to her on. What would she think about the den, about children, about the growing worry they would not happen naturally? "Would you like to see what I've done with our den?"

Zee accepted his kiss and embrace, hearing the ambition in his voice as he spoke of the den he'd been building for them. It was an early project seeing as they likely wouldn't be able to live here for a season if not longer. She shook her head slightly with amusement, a faint smile upon her lips. "I should have known that you'd be back here the minute your leg healed." Her reply came, her head nodding to encourage him to lead the way deeper into the den he'd crafted. "I'd be happy to see what you've been working on. But you should be careful around here, I don't trust your footing anymore." Her words were not entirely true, and a gentle chuckle softened their blow. While Sirius could take care of himself, she still disliked the idea of him wandering around nature's fury. A rogue wolf he could stand against, an earthquake potentially not.

He grinned at her unabashed. He was proud of what they were making, and he was eager to set up in these lands. If he could vanquish the volcano with his own bare paws he would. Just so that they could finally move the pack here, and begin as he wished to. When she indicated she would follow, he turned back to the den. The den entrance wasn’t anything shiny yet, it was still largely unfinished, and he would hang a coat on the door to keep out the chill in winters, and design it so it could lie open during the summer.

The cellar was to their right as they entered, but it was essentially just a hole in the floor at the moment. The ‘corridor’ that lead to his room and the main room where at the back of the den, and he walked her in that direction. He grunted at her assessment of his climsiness, and didn’t comment. The last thing he wanted was to be laid up again. “A trader designed this door for us. It offers a level of security and control to.. Any young creatures that might live beyond.”

Zee hummed a thoughtful noise of approval as he toured her around the den, her head on a constant swivel to look around at the nooks and crannies and corridors. He'd certainly put a lot of effort into it's construction, and for the hundredth time Zee was glad she'd won his heart. Beneath his modest words was a small tinge of excitement, and Zee smiled as she walked behind him pleased that he'd felt good about his work.

Her smile quickly faded as he mentioned what exactly the door was meant to contain, and a wave of panic washed over her. Little creatures? Was he referring to children? Luckily his back was still to her, and she had time to force the surprise and fear from her face. She swallowed hard and cleared her throat of the lump that was forming there before responding softly. "Yes, I suppose that will be good. They'd need to be kept safe." Her paw lifted to rub at her muzzle and eyes, the ash in the air beginning to burn at them. "It's a shame we can't live here yet, but hopefully next season."

He felt her silence acutely, and turned to his Wife. He hadn’t exactly been subtle, surely she would understand what he meant when he spoke of little critters. She was rubbing her face when he turned to her, and he moved closer, lowering his head to run his tongue across the fur around her face, to clear it of the ash. It was true that ash still buried much of the world here, but he felt like it was lessoning. He had come here so often, and the time from before his injury to now, he could swear there was a difference. “I don't think it would be long now” he said, projecting confidence into his voice.

“But regardless, there is no rush, we are safe in the Oasis, and everything we own we can easily bring with us now that Io has build a rather impressive sled for me to pull” he gave a lopsided smile, knowing he was the best, and strongest wolf for that task, king or no. “But… in the meantime, I think we should try out our new den” a huskiness dropped into his voice, and he pulled her closer, running one of his fangs across her ear as he looked down at the smaller wolf in his arms. By the gods, he had never seen a more beautiful wolf in his life. A part of him must have known it at the start, surely. He almost laughed as he remembered their first meeting, the indignation he had felt with her. His spirited, clever Wife.

Her husband's tone took on a quality that Zee was very familiar with, and suddenly her worry was back. It was nearly impossible to keep the concern from her face, but as he stepped forward to embrace her she peddled back. This couldn't happen here, not miles away from their den where her supply of contraceptive was stored. Io had told her to take it after they'd laid together, but didn't give her a deadline on how long she could wait. There was no way she was risking a litter of pups while Sirius was still having night terrors and attacks. "No!" She hurried, looking sheepish as she backed up. "This place is beautiful Sirius, but it's not safe. It's uninhabitable, and anything could happen while we're... occupied." Zee swallowed back her worry, her gaze almost begging as it met his own. "Back home, in our own den. We can't let our guard down out here." And Zee couldn't let her guard down until she knew her husband was safe to be around while unconscious.

He flinched in surprise and took a step back as Zee reacted so vehemently against his advances. He looked to her, saw the concern in her eyes, the worry. Her talk on finding the area dangerous was bullshit, like an excuse she had pulled from her ass. Their scent was on the borders and Sirius had been treating this territory like claimed. He allowed no trespassing. “Marshal and Bast are both on watch, they are clever, and won't let anything cross without warning.” he pointed out dryly.

“No, something else is bothering you.” he took a seat, eyeing her carefully. There was still heat in his eyes, and his breath was a soft sigh. He didn’t want to stop, he wanted to claim his wife, right then and there in the den they would soon move to. He forced himself to be patient, he had done enough to scare her away, and well he had dominated her before, he had a feeling she wouldn’t forgive him for doing so now. “Zee, what’s going on?” if she was hesitant because there was someone else… anger flashed in his eyes at the thought. He would kill them. Without a doubt.

Sirius was seeing through her and Zee knew she couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. It was too difficult to keep the worry from her face where he could so easily read it, and so instead she stepped forward to bury it into his neck. "I just want to go home." She told him, her mind working to spin her words into something reasonable and truthful enough that he could not question it. "I'm tired, it's hard to watch over the oasis, travelers lake and both plains. I'm stretched too thin." It wasn't a lie, and so perhaps it could fool him. It helped that she knew he'd feel at least somewhat responsible, seeing as it was his den-rest and broken leg that forced her to work so hard. Coming from slavery it was not unreasonable to think that she was having trouble adjusting. "Can't we just go home and try out our old den?"

She buried her head in his neck, and he found himself leaning down, and sniffing the tender spots beneath her jaw, the base of her horns. Could there be another? He had caught no scent before, but he had been distracted of late. Had he neglected her too long when his leg was broken, had he annoyed her too many times with his treatment of others? Despite how much effort he had put in recent days into changing himself. An intruder had stepped onto their lands, instead of kidnapping her, he had offered her aid. He had done that for Zee, for his wife.

“Wouldn’t it be more relaxful to just let go here, instead of heading all the way home?” he asked softly, nipping below her ear, letting out a soft, possessive growl. There was a husky, angry, undertone to his words, despite how he tried to keep it out. “Or is there another reason you don't wish to lie with me. Is there another, Zee? Another wolf keeping you from my bed?” his voice became even softer, a bare whisper in her ear, with a growl gently underlain in the tone. The urge to take her despite her words was even stronger, to prove that she was his, and his alone.

Zee felt the air around her head become disturbed at Sirius's sniffs and at first thought nothing of it. The possessive bastard seemed to ground himself on her scent at times when he was frustrated, and Zee knew it was not fair what she was doing to him. She allowed it until he spoke once more, and as his tone grew angrier she pulled herself from his neck once more to snarl at him in response, her lip curling to reveal the teeth behind them. "How dare you." She snapped, her paw lifting to stamp in the ground. Her anger was brewing, and her worries were lost for the moment. Another man? How absolutely ridiculous could he be? She knew he could be foolish, but never thought he could be this stupid. Suddenly whatever was holding her back snapped and Zee leaped forward. Within the den she could likely have an advantage, as the direwolf may struggle to move around freely within it. She was already quite close to him so she aimed to bite down upon his previously injured leg near the elbow, making sure her head was tilted at an angle so that her deadly horns pointed towards his face and protected the back of her head from a counter attack. "Speech" Zeitgeist vs Sirius for Dominance Round 1/? Age: 2 Size: Small Build: Light Offensive Accessory: Thorn Wrappings Companion 1: Rough scaled bush viper (Battle) Mutation: Kudu Horns Fight Skill Level: Expert

She snarled back at him, her angry response got his blood pumping, and lust and anger mixed a little too easily in the mind of the bastardly brute. She revealed her fangs, not a wolf to cower, but one to show strength to his accusations. Would she truly have done this to him? He did not know. All he knew was that she was denying him, and the reasons she told him were not the true ones.

When she flew at him, he was expecting it, and he braced for her impact. Her teeth went for his back leg, and he shoved his weight against her, careful not to fall on her horns as he aimed to trap half her body under his might. His own teeth went to bite at the base of her horns, both to inflict pain and to gain control of this wild element. Besides, if he could control her head he could control where she was able to bite, as well. He fell into the familiar rhythms of fighting Zee, but there was an extra element to his motions, almost frantic, and angry. Zee was his. good dammit. His. He would fight all the worlds for her, to keep her safe and to keep her his.

Sirius Sonofnone vs Zee for right to mate
Round 1/3
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Black Vulture - Male - Boosted
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted
Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws
Mutation - Offensive: Fangs
Skills: Master Fighter
Specialty: Weaponsmaster

Sirius moved to try to trap her with his weight - a tactic he'd used before when she'd tried to get under him - and Zee abandoned the leg as she felt his body shift. Instead she curled her body away from him and skittered sideways to move out of the way of his incoming bulk, moving more perpendicular to her husband for the next round. Her head turned inwards to move the base of her horns away from his grasp - if he'd still want to grab them he'd have only the thorn wrappings atop them to reach for - and instead aimed them to skewer his side as he tried to throw his weight atop her. She was moving quickly, her anger driving her forward and her usual hesitance in countering his attacks had vanished with his stupid accusation. If she had it her way, Sirius would have more then a few bites scratches and punctures to remember her wrath by for the next time he accused her of such bullshit. "Speech" Zeitgeist vs Sirius for Dominance Round 2/3 Age: 2 Size: Small Build: Light Offensive Accessory: Thorn Wrappings Companion 1: Rough scaled bush viper (Battle) Mutation: Kudu Horns Fight Skill Level: Expert

He would untangle the secret she kept from him. The hesitation in her eyes would shatter, and he would know the truth. If there was another, he would kill them, and then he would fight every day to woe Zee back to him. He would find the largest buffalo in all of Boreas and take it down, and bring back its hide to warm her feet. He would find the sweetest nector to brew and burn away her reservations. He would howl her name to the stars, for he would never love another. Zee was his, dammit, his and his alone.

If there was not another, then he would find the secret she hesitated to share with him, and he would understand it. He would force himself to, weather he truly did or not. He would give her no reasons to keep such a secret again. "Tell me what you keep from me" his voice was a husky snarl, half growling, half seducing, as his teeth fell short of their mark on her horns. He did get a task of her thorns, biting into his tongue before he released them and moved on. She aimed to skewer him with her mutation and he turned his shoulder into her, hoping to shove it into her nose and keep her from lowering her horns into his skin. He was however tall enough that she might still get a blow in if she angled her horns right.
"We keep no secrets, my love" he panted, as he raised a paw an attempted to swipe at her side, feline claws unsheathed.

Sirius Sonofnone vs Zee for right to mate & right to answers
Round 2/3
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Black Vulture - Male - Boosted
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted
Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws
Mutation - Offensive: Fangs
Skills: Master Fighter
Specialty: Weaponsmaster

His shoulder moved to intercept his blow, pressing into her nose firmly to re-orient her head and horns. Zee lashed out in rebuke, aiming a bite upon the shoulder he'd thrown her way. His paw came up and claws scraped against her side and Zee pushed back against them, standing her ground and taking the hit so that she could continue her assault. His words reached her and she snarled in response. "I have no fucking secret." She insisted angrily, lifting her upper body to aim to place her front paws against his side and shove him away from her. She didn't want to fight him anymore, she just wanted him to leave her the hell alone. If only he knew it was his own pride she was defending; keeping from him her worries that he was dangerous to love, too dangerous to be around a child. The knowledge would hurt him more then the refusal to lay with him or her teeth claws or horns ever could. "Speech" Zeitgeist vs Sirius for Dominance Round 3/3 Age: 2 Size: Small Build: Light Offensive Accessory: Thorn Wrappings Companion 1: Rough scaled bush viper (Battle) Mutation: Kudu Horns Fight Skill Level: Expert

“You won’t when I'm done with you” The titan bastard agreed, a hint of a grin entering his voice. As seemed to be the case when Zee was involved, anger and lust where much the same to him. Despite his worries, despite his questions, he was enjoying himself as he fought with Zee. She held nothing back, had no fear of skewering him, and he didn’t hesitate to land blows himself.

Her teeth sunk into his shoulder, and he let out snarl, parting his fangs as the pain rolled through him. Her teeth dug deep, but a laughter was close to the surface as the titan took the blow. His claws landed, and then she succeeded in shoving him away from her, giving the couple some breathing room in the cave. Blood ran free from his shoulder, and he heaved a little - it was true he was still out of shape, despite how hard he was working to bring his body back under control. He had been laid up for a while.

“I love you” he whispered, even as he pushed himself back towards her, aiming to land his fangs near her rump, and away from her dangerous horns.

Sirius Sonofnone vs Zee for right to mate & right to answers
Round 3/3
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Medium
Offensive Battle Accessory: Front leg bracers with knife
Defensive Battle Accessory: Back leg bracers
Companion 1: Black Vulture - Male - Boosted
Companion 2: Snow Leopard, Female - Battle - Boosted
Mutation - Offensive: Cat claws
Mutation - Offensive: Fangs
Skills: Master Fighter
Specialty: Weaponsmaster

And the winner is...

Zeitgeist

Sirius must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Zeitgeist: Adjusted roll: 97.2    38.5    56.1    99 Zeitgeist's total: 348.96 Sirius: Adjusted roll: 102.5    34.1    40    87 Sirius' total: 329.50

[Lazuli]

Her shove to separate them had been successful and Zee had space to back away from her husband and towards the den wall. She'd only had a moment of breathing room before the titan was pushing back towards her, and the horned queen let out a snarl of fury at his approach. Sirius moved to aim his bite upon her rear and Zee responded by planting her forepaws hard into the ground, pivoting her rump away from his flesh-seeking fangs. Typically their spars and previous domestic violence had mostly taken place outdoors, though this time she had an advantage the direwolf did not. Before her husband could recover from his missed strike, Zee whirled on him. His movement towards her had brought him near to the den wall, and as he turned to face her once more the new queen pushed forward to meet him. By the time the dust stilled the tips of Zee's horns were pushed against the titan's soft throat and his head had caught beneath the shallow ceiling. It would be nearly impossible for Sirius to move away or continue the fight and not risk puncturing his delicate flesh. It was a clear threat, and a low growl rumbled in her throat to punctuate her feelings on the matter. Zee waited until his movements had stilled and until she was sure he'd submitted to her victory, and then tore away from him with the intent to storm out of the den. She made it only a few paces away before her fury reignited and she turned toward him for a verbal lashing, her first victory against the titan not registering with her in the heat of the moment. "You seriously think I could ever lay with another?" The accusation was nearly a shout by this point, her ears flattening against her skull and her tail flagging in agitation. "How lowly do you think of me, Sirius?" She was more then a little offended, and ready to demand to hear his true feelings. "Speech"

Perhaps he was too busy being star-struck. The movements of the Queen were glorious to watch. She was becoming comfortable in her own skin, fluid and quick with her fighting movements. Her horns were no accessory, they were a part of her, and she used them well. Before he quite new it, he was up against the den wall and Zee’s horns kissed the flesh upon his throat. Even the laughter that rumbled up from his chest shook him just enough to prick the first spring of blood. Which fell down his throat in gentle drops, and collected upon the ivory tips of her horns. Oh heavens, he loved this woman. “I think your the most beautiful woman in the entirety of the world, and could have any man you wished.” the words were a deep rumble as he tried not to move his vocals too vigorously. It would be a shame if she punctured something vital, and he bled out on the floor before her before he could put seed in her womb. When she released him, he sagged a little against the wall, and lowered his head and shoulders into a deep bow to the winner of their fight. “My love, you’ve got it. You’ve really got it. I was fighting for keeps, and you bested me!” he laughed again, delighted at her achievement. Did he truly think she had lain with another? Maybe, maybe not. He couldn’t stand to share her. But, he could appreciate the beauty of this moment. “So. Does this mean no sex?” "Speech"